Bridge The Gulf Project - bp legalhttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/taxonomy/term/48
en The American Petroleum Institute, ChemRisk and BP: An "Independent" Study or Industry-Influenced Science?http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2015/american-petroleum-institute-chemrisk-and-bp-independent-study-or-industry-influenced
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<div class="field-item even"><a href="/key-topics/climate-and-environment">Climate and Environment</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-feature-image field--type-image field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><img src="http://bridgethegulfproject.org/sites/default/files/styles/featured_full_post/public/Boat%20Deck.jpg?itok=-ChIvbHs" width="930" height="465" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p>In a segment of MSNBC’s the <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/the-ed-show/watch/toxic-oil-spills-impact-human-health-400584259962">Ed Show</a> focused on the ongoing human health effects of BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster,&nbsp; Ed read from what he referred to as “<a href="http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/gulf-of-mexico/public_health_fact_Sheet_may-2014.pdf">BP’s Public Health Fact Sheet</a>”, which states,</p>
<p><em>“</em>Studies by federal and state scientists and independent researchers have concluded that exposures of oil, oil constituents and dispersants for response workers and the public were well below levels that might be expected to raise health and safety concerns.”</p>
<p>The sheet, published by the oil giant in May of 2014 and available <a href="http://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/pdf/gulf-of-mexico/public_health_fact_Sheet_may-2014.pdf">online</a>, is a two-page document filled with information and references to several studies, all concluding that cleanup workers, coastal residents and seafood consumers were not exposed to harmful levels, or <a href="http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2015/bp-cleanup-crews-refinery-workers-fenceline-communities-and-effects-api-funded-science">doses</a>, of toxic chemicals by BP’s oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.</p>
<p><em>Photo:&nbsp; Boat deck covered in oil during BP cleanup, summer 2010. Credit: Adam Williams</em></p>
<p>In the document, BP relies heavily on an “independent” analysis of data entitled, <a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/study-by-leading-scientific-consulting-firm-finds-no-evidence-of-health-dangers-for-gulf-coast-cleanup-workers-129139328.html"><em>Analysis and Modeling of Airborne BTEX Concentrations from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill</em></a>.&nbsp; Published in July of 2011 by ChemRisk (now Cardno ChemRisk), the study found offshore workers were not exposed to harmful levels, or <a href="http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2015/01/no_compelling_evidence_bp_oil.html">doses</a>, of certain types of airborne chemicals, including benzene. Benzene is a known human carcinogen and has been linked to a host of other <a href="http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/benzene/basics/facts.asp">human health effects</a>, including dizziness, headache, tremors, rapid heartbeat, confusion, bone marrow changes and low birth weights.</p>
<p>But just how independent were those researchers?</p>
<p>Both ChemRisk and BP note that much of data analyzed by ChemRisk in the “independent” study was data BP itself had collected and provided to ChemRisk.</p>
<p>Less transparent is the background of two of the ChemRisk study’s co-authors, Dennis Paustenbach and Sherilyn Gross.</p>
<p>According to Gross’s <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cardnochemrisk.com%2Fimages%2Fstories%2Fresumes%2FGrossSherilyn_Cardno_ChemRisk_November_2013.pdf">resume</a>, prior to joining ChemRisk in 2010, she was an “Assistant Research Professor (at) the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center where she served as the Principle Investigator on behalf of the University of Colorado for the Shanghai Health Study (SHS).”</p>
<p>What isn’t mentioned on her resume is that the $35 million <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16320/benzene-and-worker-cancers-american-tragedy">Shanghai Health Study</a> was overseen by the American Petroleum Institute (API), a petroleum industry trade organization, and was funded by BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell.</p>
<p>The Shanghai Health Study’s purpose, according to <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons">documents</a> recently released by the Center for Public Integrity,&nbsp; was to question previous research on benzene. For more than 70 years, the oil industry has known about research finding benzene to be “<a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/23/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=bG9tYmFyZGltaXNjLXN0b3JlMS9BUElfMTk0OF9CZW56ZW5lX09DUi5wZGY">so potent that there is no safe exposure level</a>.” The Shanghai Health Study was conducted to “<a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16320/benzene-and-worker-cancers-american-tragedy">protect member company interests</a>”,&nbsp; including those of BP, in part by questioning that finding and by casting doubt on other research linking benzene to certain types of cancer.</p>
<p>An email outlining the <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=YmVuemVuZS1zdG9yZTEvU0hFTEwtTUNDTFVSRy0wNjA0OTcucGRm">API’s research strategy</a> reads, “The scientific research program developed over the years by API's Benzene Task Force is designed to protect member company interests by developing strong scientific information on key benzene risk issues. This data, applicable across environmental media, has use in advocacy, risk management, litigation and risk communication.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/23/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#search?q=gross">Gross</a> is listed in the API’s 2009 Shanghai Health Study <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/23/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=YmVuemVuZS1zdG9yZTEvU0hFTEwtTUNDTFVSRy0wNjU2MDcucGRm">Communications Package</a> as one of the study’s Principal Investigators. In fact, a November 2006 <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/23/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=YmVuemVuZS1zdG9yZTEvU0hFTEwtTUNDTFVSRy0wNjc2MTEucGRm">document</a> lists Gross as co-author on 8 of the 13 Shanghai Health Study’s published articles or abstracts.</p>
<p>Another API concern was non-industry research finding workers exposed to benzene in two Ohio Pliofilm manufacturing facilities had high rates of certain cancers. Worried about the possibility of lowered federal exposure regulations, expensive lawsuits and legal actions by sickened workers against API member corporations, including BP, the API looked to <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=YnAtc3RvcmUxL0JQIEJURiBtaW51dGVzXzMuNy45MS5wZGY">Dennis Paustenbach and ChemRisk</a> .</p>
<p>According to his <a href="http://www.cardnochemrisk.com/images/stories/resumes/PaustenbachDennis_Cardno_ChemRisk_September_29_2014.pdf">resume</a>, Paustenbach, another co-author of the “independent” ChemRisk study BP relies on, worked from 1991 – 1993 to conduct a “retrospective exposure assessment of benzene (Pliofilm) workers…under contract with American Petroleum Institute (API).”&nbsp; <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=700EAAAAMBAJ&amp;pg=PA6&amp;lpg=PA6&amp;dq=pliofilm+information&amp;source=bl&amp;ots=g-g5mXVr3y&amp;sig=SenoRS_GpbA9vrp8T960BclN6PQ&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=sivmVKvMIYOXNtingdgK&amp;ved=0CE4Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&amp;q=pliofilm%20information&amp;f=false">Pliofilm</a> is a plastic material formerly made by Goodyear and used “<a href="http://http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675030564_Pliofilm_pliofilm-bags_dock_diving-board_swingset-in-water_women-in-swimsuits">for defense purposes, in parachutes, food packages and bandages</a>.”</p>
<p>Results of <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15287399209531633?journalCode=uteh19#preview">research conducted by Paustenbach</a> on behalf of the API showed Pliofilm workers had been made sick by much higher exposure levels, or <a href="http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2015/bp-cleanup-crews-refinery-workers-fenceline-communities-and-effects-api-funded-science">doses</a>, of benzene than originally believed, further fueling debate over safe benzene exposure limits.</p>
<p>Paustenbach’s <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/23/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=YnAtc3RvcmUxL0JQIEJURiBQcmVzZW50YXRpb24gb24gQmVuemVuZSBSZXNlYXJjaF8zLjIwLjkxLnBkZg">results</a> could help API corporate members, including BP, to convince governmental regulatory agencies not to lower federal benzene exposure regulations and help the industry to avoid lawsuits by sick workers who were only exposed to low <a href="http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2015/bp-cleanup-crews-refinery-workers-fenceline-communities-and-effects-api-funded-science">doses</a> of benzene. Workers exposed to low levels, or doses, of benzene below the thresholds established by federal regulations have a much harder time proving their illnesses were caused by benzene exposure.</p>
<p>More recently, in an email dated October 14, 2010, and with the subject, “<a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/12/04/16319/exposed-decades-denial-poisons#doc?id=Y2hldnJvbi1zdG9yZTEvQ0dVX0JFTjAwMDAzMDQucGRm">our new paper…for your consideration</a>”, Paustenbach wrote to the API’s Kimberly Wise announcing the publication of a review he had co-authored along with Gross and another scientist, “Please share with the benzene task force and/or whomever is reviewing our proposal on pliofilm task.”</p>
<p>It is unclear which proposal Paustenbach was referring to or if it has been accepted and/or funded by the API.</p>
<p>What is clear, is that the “independent” study done by ChemRisk, referred to by BP on their “Public Health Fact Sheet”, and published in July 2011 states,</p>
<p>“This work was carried out and funded solely by ChemRisk. More recently than April 2010, ChemRisk has provided consulting services to Cameron International Corporation on matters unrelated to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. To our knowledge, ChemRisk has not provided consulting services to any other companies involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill during this time period.”</p>
<p>BP, Transocean, Cameron and Halliburton were all involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster and are all <a href="http://www.api.org/globalitems/globalheaderpages/membership/api-member-companies#T">members of the API</a>.</p>
<p>At the end of their Public Health Fact Sheet, BP says, “We are committed to transparency, and we will update these facts if necessary and continue to share information about what we are doing to meet our commitments to the people of the Gulf Coast”</p>
<p>Given BP’s willingness to depend heavily on industry-aligned, not-so-independent science, Gulf Coast cleanup workers, residents and oil industry workers are likely to find the oil giant’s self-professed commitment to transparency and information anything but reassuring.</p>
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Fri, 20 Feb 2015 17:48:30 +0000Karen Savage889 at http://bridgethegulfproject.orghttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2015/american-petroleum-institute-chemrisk-and-bp-independent-study-or-industry-influenced#commentsA Conversation with Kindra Arnesen: Residents Still Suffering from 2010 BP Spillhttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2014/conversation-kindra-arnesen-residents-still-suffering-2010-bp-spill
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<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><object width="425" height="350" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/DmXR-vvheus&amp;feature" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="data" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DmXR-vvheus&amp;feature" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DmXR-vvheus&amp;feature" /></object></p>
<p class="p1"><em>Warning: This video contains language that may be considered offensive. Please don't watch it if strong language offends you.</em></p>
<p class="p1"><em><strong><a href="http://foytlinfam.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/a-conversation-with-kindra-arnesen-residents-still-suffering-from-2010-bp-spill/">Orgininally posted on Cherri Foytlin's personal blog</a>.</strong></em> Recently, wife of commercial fisherman, mother, and Gulf Coast advocate, Kindra Arnesen, and I had a chance to sit down in South Plaquemines Parish to discuss the health of her community, the health settlement, and how her life has changed since the 2010 BP Deep Water Drilling Disaster.</p>
<p>Gulf residents have continued to express concern that the settlement <a href="http://leanweb.org/our-work/water/bp-oil-spill/doctor-who-treated-those-made-sick-by-bps-oil-disaster-worries-medical-settlement-is-not-fair-will-exclude-those-with-serious-symptoms">doesn’t go far enough</a> to address their needs and mounting medical costs. Many survivors say general payouts will not approach their bills already accrued, that geographic limitations will keep many who need help from being able to take part in the class action suit, and that some of their documented symptoms are not listed within the language of the agreement.</p>
<p>Earlier this month BP lost an <a href="http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2014/02/bp_moves_forward_with_gulf_spi.html">appeal</a>, which amounted to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court ordering them to begin paying claims submitted to the health portion of the settlement process. Although Federal District Judge Carl Barbier approved the settlement over a year ago, no payments have been made to those who say that their health has been negatively affected by the toxic use of oil and dispersants during the disaster.</p>
<p class="p1"><em>Cherri Foytlin is a freelance journalist, author, advocate, speaker and mother of six, who lives in South Louisiana – an area inundated with industrial pollution. She is the author of “Spill It! The Truth About the Deep Water Horizon Oil Rig Explosion,” and regularly contributes to <a href="http://www.bridgethegulfproject.org/">www.BridgetheGulfProject.org</a>, the Huffington Post, Daily Kos, and several local newspapers. In the Spring of 2011, she walked to Washington D.C. from New Orleans (1,243 miles) to call for action to stop the BP Deep Water Drilling Disaster, and has been a constant voice speaking out for the health and ecosystem of Gulf Coast communities in countless forms of media. As an advocate for climate justice, she has participated in numerous actions and events across the nation and in the UK. In addition, she is a co-founder of The Mother’s Project – Gulf Coast and Idle No More Gulf Coast. <br /></em></p>
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Sun, 09 Mar 2014 14:20:13 +0000Cherri Foytlin809 at http://bridgethegulfproject.orghttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2014/conversation-kindra-arnesen-residents-still-suffering-2010-bp-spill#commentsMy adventures at Power Shift 2011http://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2011/my-adventures-power-shift-2011
<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1149.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1149.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="250" style="border: 0pt none; float: right; margin: 8px;" /></a>Washington D.C., our nation’s capital; The land of big embassies, big politics, big corporations, and don’t forget, big polluters. On April 15th -18th, Washington D.C. was also home to Power Shift 2011, a youth climate summit and organizer trainer. </p>
<p>Nearly 10,000 people converged from all across the U.S. to network, educate, advocate, learn and raise awareness about climate, environmental, and justice issues around the globe. This isn't just about solar panels and wind power. It is about all sorts of issue that affects our everyday life and our future, from the Japanese Nuclear power plant disaster to the BP oil disaster.</p>
<p>The one thing I really loved about Power Shift 2011 was the workshops they had offer, from leadership workshops to learning how to lobby. They had panels and workshops on the disaster in Japan, greening high schools, the impact of war and militarism, and how the food we eat affects our environment. </p>
<p>One of my favorite workshops was on storytelling. Storytelling is a very powerful tool that we use everyday without even knowing, and has a great influence on the people around us. So what is my story, you ask? </p>
<p>I was born in Missoula, Montana. When I was about a month old, my family moved down to Biloxi, Mississippi. My mom and dad were both refugees from the Vietnam War. When my mom and dad came over here to this country, they had very little education and spoke very little English, so they got into the shrimping industry. I grew up mostly around the boat. I learn how to drive a boat before I actually learned how to drive a car. My family didn’t have a lot of money. I have been working and helping the family business since who knows when.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Back in 2001, my family took a devastating loss. The price of shrimp dropped due to imported shrimp from China. The price of a barrel of oil sky-rocketed. It was costing us way too much to operate. In the end, my daddy filed for bankruptcy. It was a done deal. It was the most horrible feeling and position to be in the world. There were a lot of sleepless nights. I hoped that no one ever has to go through what we had to go through. But we began to recover. Just a little sacrifice and hard work paid off. It wasn’t a quick fix over night. It took about 10 years to recover from a loss that big.</p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0926.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0926.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p>In 2005, Hurricane Katrina came in and destroyed the place I grew up. Katrina basically rearranged all of our lives. Since then, Biloxi was coming back slowly but surely. It seems life was starting to be rebuild again. I was enjoying my life living along the Gulf. I still occasionally have dreams of being on my family’s first shrimp boat and yes, I still do fish the Gulf of Mexico religiously. </p>
<p>Until April 20th, 2010, when an explosion rocked the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling platform. It killed 11 workers and caused 1 suicide, may their souls rest in peace. The disaster didn’t stop there. The automatic shut-off on the well failed. Millions of gallons of oil spilled into the water for nearly three months, destroying everything in its path. This was a total nightmare for me again. I even asked myself, “Is this happening? Am I dreaming?” </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1226.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1226.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a><br />Growing up on the sea, I knew what was going to happen to the future of the seafood industry. I knew most of these fishermen were going to lose their jobs. I knew it was going to be hard to pay the bills around the house. I knew what it was going to be like trying to put food on the table for your family. I knew there was going to be a lot of red tape. I just had this feeling. I knew. I wasn’t going to let this happen to my friends and family. It is a horrible feeling. That is why I traveled to Washington D.C., for Power Shift 2011. This is my home and this is my way of life. I have fished the Gulf of Mexico.</p>
<p>*****</p>
<p> It’s hard for me to summarize what happened in the four fun, intense days I was at Power Shift. I met a lot of young leaders doing good for their community, and heard a lot of stories. It provided great learning experiences, resources and tools for young advocates like me.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1220.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1220.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Above all, I learned there are all walks of life on this planet. We don't all live, eat or breathe the same. Each and every one of us has a very unique life. But I know one thing we do have in common. We all live on this planet we call "Earth". It is ours and we share this planet with everyone else on it. I believe we should keep it clean and preserve for the future of our humanity.</p>
<p>I hope you all enjoy my photos of Power Shift 2011. I can express more through my pictures. Please enjoy and see you at the next Power Shift summit.</p>
<p></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0248.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0248.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0296.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0296.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> <br /> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0432.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0432.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> <br /> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0506.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0506.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p> <br /><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0640.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0640.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p> <br /><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0880.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0880.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> <br /> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0927.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0927.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a></p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-0962.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-0962.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> <br /> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1062.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1062.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1064.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1064.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1068.jpg" target="_blank"><br /></a> <br /><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1077.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1077.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1106.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1106.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="400" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1136.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1136.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1160.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1160.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
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<p> <br /><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1195.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1195.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> </p>
<p> <br /> </p>
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<p><a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1232.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/POWERSHIFT-1232.jpg" alt="Photobucket" width="500" style="border: 0pt none;" /></a> <a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=POWERSHIFT-1247.jpg" target="_blank"><br /></a> <br /> <a href="http://s30.photobucket.com/albums/c329/hahaitzmickey/?action=view&amp;current=CIMG0120.jpg" target="_blank"><br /></a></p>
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<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/48">bp legal</a></div>
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<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/508">power shift</a></div>
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<div class="field-item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/536">mickey sou</a></div>
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Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:50:29 +0000Mickey Sou342 at http://bridgethegulfproject.orghttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2011/my-adventures-power-shift-2011#commentsExpedition Mississippi Plumehttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2010/expedition-mississippi-plume
<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><object width="425" height="350" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qo1hzYF1eW0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qo1hzYF1eW0" /></object></p>
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<div class="field-item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/70">Environmental Justice</a></div>
<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/71">Environmental Impacts</a></div>
<div class="field-item odd"><a href="/taxonomy/term/72">dispersant</a></div>
<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/93">Oil</a></div>
<div class="field-item odd"><a href="/tags/67">67</a></div>
<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/95">Catfish</a></div>
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Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:49:06 +0000Bryan Parras68 at http://bridgethegulfproject.orghttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2010/expedition-mississippi-plume#commentsFishermen tell Secretary Mabus: Reopening Gulf waters is unsafehttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2010/fishermen-tell-secretary-mabus-reopening-gulf-waters-unsafe
<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden"><div class="field__items"><div class="field__item even"><p><object style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="425" height="350" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qba2B43HhdM" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="data" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qba2B43HhdM" /><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Qba2B43HhdM" /></object></p><p>Today President Obama ate a heaping plate of Gulf shrimp at the White House, in an effort to assure America that the Gulf Coast is open for business.<br /> <br />"We're excited that fishermen can go back to work and Americans can confidently and safely enjoy Gulf seafood once again," the President said.</p>
<p>But a group of fishermen from across the Gulf Coast states is speaking up, saying that seafood pulled out of the Gulf now is not safe, and their waters are still filled with oil and toxic dispersants. These men and women, who depend on harvesting the sea for their survival and way of life, want fishing waters to remain closed until further clean-up and more trustworthy testing is complete.</p>
<p>They suspect that the President has been enjoying shrimp that was caught and frozen before the BP oil and dispersant disaster threatened Gulf waters. This frozen seafood is indeed safe, but reopening the fishing grounds is not.</p>
<p>Mississippi reopened some of its waters for shrimping on August 6th, and Governor Haley Barbour told the Associated Press that seafood caught in the Gulf is safe to eat.</p>
<p>On Saturday, August 7th, these fisherfolk brought their message to the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Secretary Mabus has been charged by President Obama with developing a long-term recovery plan for the Gulf Coast. He toured the Gulf Coast last week for a series of community listening session to inform that plan.</p>
<p>While Secretary Mabus boasted about the shrimp lunch he had just enjoyed and characterized seafood safety as a "marketing" problem, fisherfolk from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama challenged him.</p>
<p>"Our guys want to be able to go back to work. They're fishermen!" said Tracy Kuhns of Barataria, Louisiana. "But they don't want to go out back out there prematurely and bring a product in that is going to make somebody– a family, children, anybody– ill..." </p>
<p> The fishermen's top three demands are: stop the use of dispersants; don't open fishing grounds until the seafood is proven safe through better testing; and create new jobs that go to local commercial fishermen first.</p>
<p>That unified message came out of two days of meetings between fishermen and advocates from all five Gulf Coast states earlier in the week. They first took action together at the Gulf of Mexico Alliance meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi, where Mabus was scheduled to speak but canceled (<a href="http://www.bridgethegulfproject.org/node/23">read Derrick Evans's blog post</a> to learn more). </p>
<p><strong>Fishermen and Press! </strong> If you want to connect with this growing group, please contact:</p>
<p>Tracy Kuhns<br /> Association of Family Fishermen and Louisiana Bayoukeepers<br />Barataria, Louisiana<br /><a href="mailto: bayoukeeper@cox.net">bayoukeeper@cox.net</a></p>
<p>or</p>
<p>Thao Vu<br />Mercy Housing and Mississippi Coalition for Vietnamese American Fisherfolk and Families<br />Biloxi, Mississippi<br /><a href="mailto: thaovu337@gmail.com">thaovu337@gmail.com</a><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p>There are also representatives of the group in Alabama, Florida, and Texas that they can connect you to.</p>
<p>Thao and Tracy were recently featured on Bridge the Gulf in two video profiles. Watch here:</p>
<p><a href="http://bridgethegulfproject.info/node/16">http://bridgethegulfproject.info/node/16</a></p>
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<div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/term/24">fishermen</a></div>
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Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:58:44 +0000Ada McMahon24 at http://bridgethegulfproject.orghttp://bridgethegulfproject.org/blog/2010/fishermen-tell-secretary-mabus-reopening-gulf-waters-unsafe#comments